Exemplary embodiments of an exercise apparatus and its method of use are provided. An exercise apparatus can be provided having a resilient ball configured to support a weight of a user performing exercises thereon, and a shell member configured to cover at least an upper portion of the resilient ball. The shell member can have an inner surface conforming to an outer surface of the resilient ball. A toroidal member can be provided that can be attached to the shell member and can surround a portion of the resilient ball.
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14. An exercise apparatus comprising:
a shell member configured to cover at least a topmost portion of a resilient ball, the shell member having an inner surface conforming to an outer surface of the resilient ball, wherein the inner surface of the shell member is configured to allow the resilient ball to roll relative to the shell member when the shell member is pressed against the resilient ball by a weight of a user;
a toroidal member attached to and surrounding a bottom portion of the shell member below the topmost portion of the resilient ball, the toroidal member extending from an outer surface of the shell member in a direction away from the resilient ball;
at least one handle fixed to the toroidal member and configured for a the user to grasp;
and at least one platform portion fixed to the toroidal member and configured for a forearm, leg or foot of the user to be placed thereon.
1. An exercise apparatus comprising:
a resilient ball configured to support a weight of a user performing exercises thereon;
a shell member configured to cover at least a topmost portion of the resilient ball, the shell member having an inner surface conforming to an outer surface of the resilient ball, wherein the inner surface of the shell member is configured to allow the resilient ball to roll relative to the shell member when the shell member is pressed against the resilient ball by the weight of the user;
a toroidal member that surrounds an outer surface of the shell member below the topmost portion of the resilient ball and extends from the outer surface of the shell member in a direction away from the resilient ball;
at least one handle fixed to the toroidal member and configured for the user to grasp; and
at least one platform portion fixed to the toroidal member and configured for a forearm, leg or foot of the user to be placed thereon.
19. An exercise apparatus comprising:
a resilient ball configured to support a weight of a user performing exercises thereon;
a shell member configured to encase at least 50% of an outer surface of the resilient ball such that the resilient ball cannot be detached from the shell member by lifting the shell member, the shell member having an inner surface conforming to an outer surface of the resilient ball and being configured to allow the resilient ball to roll relative to the shell member when the shell member is pressed against the resilient ball by the weight of the user;
a toroidal member attached to and surrounding an outer surface of the shell member below a top portion of the resilient ball, the toroidal member extending from the outer surface of the shell member in a direction away from the resilient ball;
at least two handles fixed to the toroidal member on substantially opposite sides for a the user to grasp; and
at least two platform portions fixed to the toroidal member on substantially opposite sides and configured for a forearm, leg or foot of the user to be placed thereon.
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This application relates to and claims priority from U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 61/499,240 filed Jun. 21, 2011, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.
The present disclosure relates to exemplary embodiments related to apparatuses relating to a freely rotating ball and methods of use, and more particularly, to exemplary embodiments of apparatuses for performing exercises using a freely rotating ball and methods of use.
Athletes and other persons involved in various athletic activities frequently perform certain exercises designed and selected to strengthen various muscles of the body. There are several basic classes of such exercises, including but not limited to push-ups and planks. Push-ups are generally used to strengthen the core muscles, which can include the abdominals, back muscles and pelvic muscles.
One disadvantage of existing techniques for performing push-ups is that push-ups do not put enough strain on many of the muscles of interest, especially if the person performing the push-ups is fit or very fit, and accordingly, he or she has to repeat the exercises numerous times in order for push-ups to be effective. Also, some of the core muscles may not receive a sufficient workout during standard push-ups. Moreover, push-ups are not considered to be isometric exercises.
Planks are somewhat related to push-ups in that they can be started from similar positions. However, a person doing a plank mostly takes a preselected position and tries to hold it as long as possible. It has been found that this exercise strengthens various muscles very effectively without too much strain.
Thus, there remains a need for providing methods and apparatuses for enabling push-ups to be more effective, as well as a need for rendering planks even more effective and for performing isometric exercises.
At least some of the above described problems can be addressed by exemplary embodiments of the methods and apparatuses according to the present disclosure. The present disclosure provides exemplary methods and apparatuses that can provide a more effective way of performing various exercises.
For example, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, an exercise apparatus can be provided comprising a resilient ball configured to support a weight of a user performing exercises thereon, and a shell member configured to cover at least an upper portion of the resilient ball, the shell member having an inner surface conforming to an outer surface of the resilient ball.
The exercise apparatus can further comprise a toroidal member attached to the shell member and surrounding a portion of the resilient ball. The toroidal member can be integral with the shell member. The toroidal member can surround the resilient ball below a center point of the resilient ball.
The exercise apparatus can further comprise one or more handles attached to the toroidal member for a user to grasp. The one or more handles can be provided in a plane parallel to a ground surface on which the resilient ball rests. The one or more handles can also be provided in a plane perpendicular to a ground surface on which the resilient ball rests. The one or more handles can be integral with the toroidal member, and can be attached to the toroidal member on opposite ends of the toroidal member.
The exercise apparatus can further comprise one or more platform portions attached to the toroidal member where a user's forearm or leg can rest. The one or more platform portions can be provided in a plane parallel to a ground surface on which the resilient ball rests. The one or more platform portions can be integral with the toroidal member. Two platform portions can be attached to the toroidal member on opposite ends of the toroidal member.
The resilient ball can be one of a exercise ball, medicine ball, Swiss ball, balance ball, birth ball, body ball, ball, fitness ball, gym ball, gymnastic ball, physioball, pilates ball, Pezzi ball, sports ball, stability ball, Swedish ball, therapy ball, or yoga ball. The shell member can have one or more voids within its structure to reduce weight of the shell member.
The exercise apparatus can further comprise one or more handles attached to the shell member for a user to grasp. The one or more handles can be provided in a plane parallel to a ground surface on which the resilient ball rests, and can be provided in a plane perpendicular to a ground surface on which the resilient ball rests. The one or more handles can be integral with the shell member. Two handles can be attached to the shell member on opposite ends of the shell member.
One or more platform portions can be attached to the shell member where a user's forearm or leg can rest. The one or more platform portions are provided in a plane parallel to a ground surface on which the resilient ball rests. The one or more platform portions can be integral with the shell member. Two platform portions can be attached to the shell member on opposite ends of the shell member.
The shell member can encase the upper portion of the resilient ball, and the shell member can encase at least 50% of the upper portion of the resilient ball.
According to another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, an exercise apparatus can be provided, comprising a shell member configured to cover at least an upper portion of a resilient ball, the shell member having an inner surface conforming to an outer surface of a resilient ball, and a toroidal member attached to a bottom portion of the shell member configured to surround a portion of the resilient ball, wherein the toroidal member is configured to be grasped by a user. The exercise apparatus can be configured to encase a variety of exercise or resilient balls, as well as different sizes of exercise or resilient balls, such as by providing various locking mechanisms.
According to another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, an exercise apparatus can be provided, comprising a resilient ball configured to support a weight of a user performing exercises thereon, a shell member configured to encase at least 50% of an outer surface of the resilient ball such that the resilient ball cannot be detached from the shell member by lifting the shell member, the shell member having an inner surface conforming to an outer surface of the resilient ball and being slidable relative thereto, a toroidal member attached to the shell member configured to surround a portion of the resilient ball, and at least two handles attached to the toroidal member on substantially opposite sides for a user to grasp.
The foregoing and other objects of the present disclosure will be apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and claims, in which like reference characters refer to like parts throughout, and in which:
Throughout the figures, the same reference numerals and characters, unless otherwise stated, are used to denote like features, elements, components or portions of the illustrated embodiments. Moreover, while the subject disclosure will now be described in detail with reference to the figures, it is done so in connection with the illustrative embodiments. It is intended that changes and modifications can be made to the described embodiments without departing from the true scope and spirit of the subject disclosure.
Exemplary embodiments of the methods and systems according to the present disclosure will be described herein. The methods and systems according to the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure can provide for an exercise apparatus, its method of manufacture and use. The exercise apparatus according to exemplary embodiments can be used for a variety of exercises, such as planks and push-ups.
The resilient ball 102 can be made of various materials, such as plastic or elastic, or can have an outer cloth, such as a leather or vinyl covered nylon cloth, and can be filled with an impact absorbing material, such as sand. The resilient ball 102 can preferably be made of a strong material so that it can support the weight of a person and other forces without any substantial distortion or deformation. The resilient ball 102 can be of any size, and preferably can have a diameter of approximately ten to approximately twelve inches. The resilient ball 102 can also be hollow in a middle portion to reduce its weight if desired. The resilient ball 102 can be any type of ball, such as an exercise ball, medicine ball, Swiss ball, balance ball, birth ball, body ball, ball, fitness ball, gym ball, gymnastic ball, physioball, pilates ball, Pezzi ball, sports ball, stability ball, Swedish ball, therapy ball, or yoga ball. The resilient ball 102 is not restricted to any type of ball, material or construction.
The exercise apparatus 100 can have a shell member 104 that can be configured to cover at least an upper portion of the resilient ball 102 with respect to the surface 110. For example, the shell member 104 can surround at least 50% of a perimeter of the resilient ball 102 with respect to the surface 110, such that when the shell member 104 is lifted, the resilient ball 102 is also lifted because the resilient ball 102 is held by the shell member 104. For example, the shell member 104 can extend below the center 120 of the resilient ball 102 such that it covers more than 50% of a perimeter of the resilient ball 102. In this manner, the resilient ball 102 can be captured by the shell member and cannot be removed from it. The shell member 104 can have voids 108 (e.g., holes) within its structure to reduce weight of the shell member 104.
In an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the shell member covers 50%-85% of a perimeter of the resilient ball 102. For example, as shown in
The shell member 104 can have different configurations. For example,
The shell member 104 can be made of a plastic, wood or metal material, and is not restricted to any particular weight. The shell member 104 can have an inner surface 112 conforming to an outer surface 114 of the resilient ball 102, so that these surfaces can contact each other. The materials of the resilient ball 102 and shell member 104 can be selected to insure that there is substantially no friction between them, such that the resilient ball 102 can be free to rotate in any direction with respect to the shell member 104. The shell member 104 can have holes or voids 108 to reduce its weight (and therefore, a weight of the exercise apparatus 100), or it can be solid. Preferably, the resilient ball 102 and shell member 104 can be made of a plastic and lightweight material. In an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, a lubricant can be applied between the outer surface 114 of the resilient ball 102 and the inner surface 112 of the shell member 104 so that the resilient ball 102 can rotate smoothly in any direction with respect to the shell member 104.
As shown in
The toroidal member 106 can be attached to the shell member 104 along a bottom portion of the shell member 104 as illustrated in
As shown in
In exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, the handles 502, 504 and/or the platform portions 520, 522 can be provided on the toroidal member 106, or can be provided directly connected to the shell member 104. In some exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, the shell member 104 can be provided by itself (which can contain handles 502, 504 and/or the platform portions 520, 522), or can be provided with the toroidal member 106 (which can contain handles 502, 504 and/or the platform portions 520, 522), without the resilient ball 102. These apparatuses can be configured to be placed on top of any resilient ball (such as an exercise ball or medicine ball or any other kind of ball). One skilled in the art would understand this would require some type of connection such that the resilient ball does not displace itself from the shell member 104 and/or toroidal member 106.
The exercise apparatus can have various different configurations in the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. For example,
The exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure can provide for different configurations of the exercise apparatus, and can provide for various types of exercises. For example,
Various other exercises are possible using the exercise apparatus according to exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, and are not limited by the above. One skilled in the art would understand the different types of exercises that may be performed. For example, in some embodiments, the user can stand on the platform portions of the exercise device and perform squats (e.g., the user can move his weight to one leg such that the bottom portion of one platform portion touches the ground while the other opposite end and other foot are off the surface, and perform a squat exercise). All different exercises that may be performed do not need to be described in the specification.
Various different methods of manufacture can be provided for the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure.
A containing ring can be provided having an upper portion 961 between an upper surface of the resilient ball 960 and the top section 951 of the platform 950, and a lower portion 962 between the resilient ball 960 and the bottom section 952. The upper portion 961 and lower portion 961 can have one or more holes within their structure to reduce their weight. The containing rings can be used to provide one or more friction reducing skid pads 970 between the resilient ball 960 and upper portion 961 and lower portion 962, to allow the resilient ball to slide relative to the containing ring. The upper portion 961 can be attached to the top section 951, and the lower portion 962 can be attached to the bottom section 952.
The platform 950 can be manufactured using a number of different processes according to exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. The platform 950 can be cast molded, injection molded, and/or machined. The placement areas for the friction reducing skid pads 970 can be incorporated in the platform 950 during this process. The platform 950 can be made of a number of different materials. For example, it can be made of fiber glass, carbon fiber, wood, plastic, a composite or any of a number of materials, and is not limited to such materials. The friction reducing skid pads 970 can be made of Teflon® or any other type of friction reducing material. The skid pads 970 can either be machined or compression molded. The resilient ball 960 can be made from composite materials or resin similar to that of a bowling ball. The containing ring can be made from the same materials as the platform 950, and can use similar manufacturing processes.
The platform 950 can be assembled with inserts for the skid pads 970. Once the skid pads 970 are inserted, the resilient ball 960 can be placed within a ball housing space of the platform 950. The resilient ball 960 can then be encased and fixed to the platform 950 by the containing ring 961, 962. The containing ring 961, 962 can be fixed to the platform by using a number of different methods.
The exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure provide advantages over the exercise devices and methods used in the prior art. For example, planks and push-ups can be performed using the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure that require a higher degree of stamina, and can strengthen the core appreciably more than standard planks and push-ups. The exercise apparatus according to various aspects of the present disclosure can incorporate a resilient ball configured to support the weight of a user. A conventional exercise ball can be quickly and easily modified into an exercise apparatus according to the present disclosure by coupling it with a shell member or with a shell and toroidal member. The exercise apparatus facilitates effective strength training in addition to the development of flexibility, balance, coordination, and stability. The exercise apparatus can be relatively inexpensive and simple to use, and it can be employed in a versatile manner to perform a number of different exercise movements.
The foregoing merely illustrates the principles of the disclosure. Various modifications and alterations to the described embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art in view of the teachings herein. It will thus be appreciated that those skilled in the art will be able to devise numerous systems, arrangements, manufacture and methods which, although not explicitly shown or described herein, embody the principles of the disclosure and are thus within the spirit and scope of the disclosure. In addition, to the extent that the prior art knowledge has not been explicitly incorporated by reference herein above, it is explicitly being incorporated herein in its entirety. All publications referenced herein above are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties, as applicable. In the event of a conflict between the teachings of the present disclosure and those of the incorporated document, the teachings of the present disclosure control.
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